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Welcome to Saturdays with Sir Roland, your weekly
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training guild on how to slay the dragons of
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vice with the weapons of virtue. Here's your
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guild master, the author of the Seven Deadly
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Dragons book series, and faithful knight to the
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one true light, Sir Roland Paterlot. Greetings,
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young squires, maidens, moms and dads. Today
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is the 24th day in the 10th month in the year
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of our Lord, 2026, and it's a great day to learn
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the art of dragon slaying. Today, young squires,
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as we come near... The end of October, Respect
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Life Month, I'd like to talk about our creativity
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as human beings, which makes us different and
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unique from all the rest of creation. We as human
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beings are made in the image and likeness of
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God, and God is the creator of the whole universe.
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But we are the only part of creation that is
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made in God's image. That is what makes the dragons
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extremely jealous and envious of us. That is
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one of the reasons that dragons try to bring
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us down. God created everything that is good,
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true, and beautiful. And since we are made in
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the image of the Creator, we too are filled with
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His creativity to reveal that goodness, beauty,
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and truth throughout the world. It's not that
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we create something entirely new, for we know
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that God creates everything. But because we are
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made in His image, we can be His instruments.
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God is the artist. We are His paintbrush. God
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is the musician. We are His violin. God is the
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poet. We are His pen. God creates through us
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using the language of the soul, music, art, poetry,
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stories, love. Have you ever seen a squirrel
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build a skyscraper or a cat build a cathedral?
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Have you ever seen a group of badgers put on
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a ballet? Have you ever seen a rhino make a rhyme?
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Have you ever seen camels put on a concert? Birds
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can make beautiful noise, but they don't compose
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symphonies like Mozart or Beethoven did. In the
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created world, only humans build amazing things,
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color amazing artwork, write amazing and poetic
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words, and compose amazing music. We don't just
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create things or survive like the animals do.
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We create to thrive, to be inspired, to tell
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truths, to live adventures. Humans tell great
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stories because we understand that we are in
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a story and God is the author. We create to seek
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the creator and reveal his mystery to the world.
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Dragons are too arrogant to be God's instruments.
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They want to control everything, and since they
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can't be creators, they become corruptors. Since
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they can't make, they mock. While you are creating,
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God is creating you. It can look messy and chaotic
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for a while, but don't worry, God always finishes
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the good work he starts in each one of us. So
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you can't be afraid to fail. You can't compare
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yourself to others. You can't be afraid to try.
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Sing those songs if God puts it on your heart.
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Draw those pictures. Write those stories. What
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really made me reflect on creation today was
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a birthday gift I received from my 19 -year -old
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daughter, Lady Hannah. Lady Hannah is one of
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the most contemplative, creative people I know.
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She has a way with words and a way with art.
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She is the one who drew the seven deadly dragons
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from her imagination. She also drew all the saints
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featured in our stories. And I saw how the dragons
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tried to stop her from creating during those
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years. I saw how they tried to drag her down
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and make her think she was no good. It was obvious
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that they didn't want her to blow their cover
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and put light on their darkness. But she persevered,
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and now the dragons can't stop her from creating.
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The birthday gift she gave me was a poem. But
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not just any poem, it's a poem telling the story
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of the Tournament of the Ages from Book 7 of
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the Seven Daily Dragons. But like All artists,
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and like all great cathedrals, her poem has so
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much hidden meaning not immediately visible to
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the human eye, meaning which brings the glory
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back to God. Based on the structure from Dante's
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Divine Comedy, this poem has a rhyme pattern.
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It has 33 sets of three, and the pattern in the
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last set goes back to the first set, making the
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poem circular. The threes represent the Holy
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Trinity, and the circle represents eternity.
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If you don't understand all that, that's okay.
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Unpacking the meaning and symbolism and mystery
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of a creation over time is what makes it in the
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image of God. It's why poems and stories and
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music stand the test of time. Before Lady Hannah
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reads her masterpiece, I just want to give a
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spoiler alert for anybody who has not read the
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entire seven book series. This gives the ending
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to the Tournament of the Ages. So. Without further
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ado, here is the poem, The Tournament of the
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Ages by Lady Hannah Grace. Lo, the light has
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dawned again. Behold, the newborn day. Seeds
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lads and knighted fill the church To bow and
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praise and pray. For only there before the Lord
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Can end the endless search, And every soldier's
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longing heart For healing health and worth. And
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as the mass comes to an end, The games come to
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a start. With blessing for each color's crest,
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e 'er to the field they all depart. Upon each
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head the hands were laid, the holy hands most
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blessed. Of that good father Thomas, now the
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bishop of Red Radicus. And red it was, the leader's
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crest, young Rolland's head did bow. Receiving
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that bright surcoat bold, my blessing, wear it
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well. Thus were the words the bishop spoke, Red's
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humble meaning told. He makes the holy sign,
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and then he speaks the holy words of old. In
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nomine Patres et Fili et Spiritus Sancti, Amen,
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Amen, Amen. The next young soldier to receive
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is Topher 6 -8, Roland's friend. And tell me
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bright young maiden fair, brave youth doth ye
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believe? There ever were two friends more dear
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since Saul's son's death David did grieve? And
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see the surcoat Topher wears, all gathered there
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doth hear? Is good and true and beautiful the
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bright orange flame best fires fear? The Signum
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Crucis prayed again, again, all hearts are full.
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As on to yellow moves the line, Apollo Tarsus
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claims his role. Of passion, zeal, and light
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sublime, oh, wear it well, my son. Next is green,
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for heaven's gift, that earthly wealth cannot
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outshine. Landon the Plane accepts his part,
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with colors green to run. And Bishop Thomas blesses
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him with words that cannot be undone. Next is
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Billy Gruff, most steady set upon the wind. Twixt
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him and Roland Paterlotte, off strife runs past
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and o 'er the brim. Yet blue of strife and blue
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of peace have mingled now and caught. The contest
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now set to begin, the prizes boldly sought. And
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see, the only boy who has not bet that should
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he win, he should receive what based the light,
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a kiss from violet Flavian. Is Billy Gruff, to
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indigo the prayers now come forthright. Myaswell
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wears the mystery and Nausher is the violet knight.
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Haste now to the field to see who earns the victory.
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My lords and ladies, welcome in, the bishop booms
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sonorously. In seven tests must seven boys be
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tried before one wins. The first test will be
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Traitor Tag. Oh, let the games begin. The crowd
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erupts. The boys all race, the seven stones to
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snag. The bishop does himself pursue them, swift
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as any stag. May as well nausea Topher Tagged,
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Roland tells his friend. Paulo, take the green
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stone, I will be the diversion. And though the
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plan does get him tagged, first placed is Roland
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O. By sacrificing for the rest, we call that
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martyrdom. The bishop says, on with the games,
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the score climbs test to test. Roland, Paulo,
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Billy, Roland, now they're neck and neck. Roland
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to Billy, no one close, a better score did land.
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The third round of test seven is a shoot -off,
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man to man. Billy has the lead if Roland loses
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see the cost the title of grand champion to pay
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a lot is lost three points to Billy three to
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Roland one more Roland is bring a bonus round
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to steal their fate come arrows knocked on strings
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Dragon's Eye Dragon's Eye two perfect hits they
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make they move it back to go again as Billy shoots
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his bowstring breaks The crowd goes still cross
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Billy's face comes devastated pain The wind is
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Roland's for the taking. He steps up, pulls back,
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aims. The dragon's pale unblinking eye, as in
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his dreams, now waking. Roland sets within his
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sights. He sees himself, the good shot, making.
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Yet, ere he lets his arrow fly, he sees again
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that fight. For there re -rose the dragon dark,
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and came to aid him, heaven's light. Lo, Philomena
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leans to whisper, Roland, take your mark. He
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breathes in deep, lets fly, and hits. The violet
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dragon in the heart. The crowd is stunned. The
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shot was straight. How could the lad have missed?
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But Rolland smiles at the lights and Billy's
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face re -lit. Billy Gruff, the only one who stood
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for what was right. Rolland shakes his brother's
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hand. Good show and what a fight. Billy is the
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winner, Bishop Thomas Booms voiced grand. But
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to Rolland he does softly say. Well done, good
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night. Good man. And there you have it. The poem
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from Lady Hannah. So here's my challenge. I want
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to encourage each and every one of you to prayerfully
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consider what God is calling you to create with
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your own unique gifts and talents. Don't worry
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about how good it is. Nobody starts off building
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a cathedral or painting a masterpiece. Nobody
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plays beautiful music on the piano on day one.
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It takes time and effort and practice and repetition
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and patience to master any craft. I bet if you
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draw a picture for your mom, she will be so happy
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and proud of you, she'll hang it on the fridge,
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even if your older brother gets attacked by a
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dragon and tells you it's no good. In the same
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way, God hangs every piece of art you ever create
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on his fridge. Here's the thing, by using your
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gifts and talents and allowing God to create
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through you, You start off as the instrument,
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but you end up as the masterpiece. Regardless
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of what your creation looks like. Remember, God
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is the creator. You are his masterpiece. And
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until next week, I'll leave you under the protection
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of St. Michael the Great Archangel, St. Joseph
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the Tear of Dragons, and Mary, Queen of the Angels,
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Our Lady of Grace, and the woman whose seed crushed
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ahead of the dragon. Hey everybody, Sir Topher
00:10:37.710 --> 00:10:40.029
here. As I mentioned on the last podcast, Sir
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Roland has written a a new book called How to
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Slay Your Dragons. We can't wait to announce
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the release date for this book. Now, alongside
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the book, we've also been working on a brand
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new website called 7deadlydragons .com. 7deadlydragons
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.com with the number seven, if you're typing
00:10:57.450 --> 00:10:59.950
it in your browser. This website is going to
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be a place for families, schools, and parishes
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to find resources on the seven deadly sins and
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the seven virtues that slay them. We already
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have our free vacation Bible school program.
00:11:10.139 --> 00:11:12.600
on there and we're continuing to add more resources
00:11:12.600 --> 00:11:15.259
including Classroom Curriculum and Nights of
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Light, our Father -Son program. We also have
00:11:18.620 --> 00:11:21.120
Dragon Slayer's Trivia on there. I could continue
00:11:21.120 --> 00:11:23.360
with all the things that we plan to do with this
00:11:23.360 --> 00:11:25.940
website, but the resource I really want to share
00:11:25.940 --> 00:11:28.919
with you this week is our examination of conscience.
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We now have a printable and digital version of
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the examine based on the Seven Deadly Dragons
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and Ten Commandments on the website. So you can
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do your examine and then you can print out the
00:11:39.549 --> 00:11:42.409
steps to confession with your examine on there.
00:11:42.610 --> 00:11:44.350
And there's a fun little feature at the end on
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the website. Once you've examined your conscience,
00:11:47.570 --> 00:11:50.049
there's an animation where you can burn your
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sins. And now, of course, the animation doesn't
00:11:52.629 --> 00:11:55.049
actually take away your sins, but as Roland encourages
00:11:55.049 --> 00:11:57.870
us, we examine our conscience, go to confession,
00:11:58.090 --> 00:12:00.769
burn our sins, and then go celebrate. Let us
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know what you think. We'd love to hear from you.
00:12:03.190 --> 00:12:06.789
And until next week, stay holy in Sleigh Dragons.